LOVE SPRINGS ETERNAL?

Word that Brad Garrett is developing a comedy series with HBO would seem to rule out a possible Everybody Loves Raymond spin-off centered around his character, right? Wrong. Although CBS declined to comment, sources close to the negotiations insist Everybody Likes Robert is not dead, and add that the cable deal is "still in the discussion stage." Meanwhile, Garrett's manager, Glenn Robbins, denies talk that the HBO project is a ploy to force CBS's hand: "I can tell you for sure it's not a ploy," he says. "It's very real." A very real ploy?